Wednesday, 11 January 2012

United go from Bad to Worse!

Biggleswade United 1-6 Haringey Borough

Molten Spartan South Midlands League, Challenge Trophy Quarter-final.

Since the turn of the New Year, Biggleswade United have played 3 matches and have managed to ship in 16 goals. Admittedly they have played against 2 of the sides in the top 4 of the Molten Spartan South Midlands Premier League in this time, but 16 goals???

On the 2nd January, they went away to top of the table Royston and were soundly beaten 7-0. Even so, there was a semblence of good build up play here and there (albeit not much I grant you).

5 days later they lost 3-1 at home against Hertford Town, in what could have been described as a 6 pointer, especially with both teams in precarious positions in the table. My thoughts on this game are expressed in this previous posting.

Last nights debacle was a sorry tale from beginning to end and United were taken to task by a far superior outfit, led at the front by a truly marvellous display by Borough's Dean Fenton.

With flowing dreadlocks in the breeze, Fenton took United's defence apart scoring 5 of the six. In fact, he scored his 5th after being moved to left back, cutting through the Biggleswade defence like a hot knife in butter. I am led to believe that Fenton doesn't generally play up front - maybe a change in direction beckons?

United's sole consolation was scored by Emmanuel Banjo who must have felt a spattering of pride, having recently been released by Haringey, but it comes to something when you can let in 6 goals at home and your best player on the night was keeper Adam Lawrence, who made some excellent saves.

It does concern me that most sides we come up against seem to be full of big, 6 footers, all of which have little difficulty of powering through our defences. It also didn't help that we were missing our captain and defensive mainstay Martin Russell after his injury on Saturday and it was also noticeable that Richard Bayley, whose midfield performances have taken my eye of late, was absent last night.

Oh for a big, strapping striker, willing to run through a brick wall if need be (should you know where we can find one, please contact the club).

Lastly, on a positive note, it was interesting to hear officials from Haringey commenting that they didn't think they would have scored so many at their own Coles Park Stadium, praising the far superior condition of the Second Meadow playing surface.

So far, 2012 has been a disaster for United, it can and must only get better (hopefully very soon).